Mother's Day is a special day for honouring mothers throughout the world. It holds great significance for all of us.
Mother carries the child in her womb(子宫) for nine months and in her heart for the rest of her life. "Mother" is undoubtedly the most beautiful and lovable word in any language. It stands for millions of things she gives to her children; it also stands for sacrifices, pain, grief and sorrows which she has to undergo(经历)to keep her children happy and secure. Mother is so important that her presence affects our entire life and she can't be replaced by anyone.
Celebrated every year, Mother's Day is an occasion when individuals express their love and respect for their mother. It's time to thank her for all she has done for us over the years. On Mother's Day you can tell your mum that she will always be important to you all and that you will love her forever. While many countries of the world celebrate Mother's Day on different dates every year, there are some countries such as China, Australia, and America which celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.
Fathers Day is a day to thank fathers for all the love and support they give to their children. It is celebrated on different dates in different countries. Some countries like the US, the UK, Canada and India celebrate this festival on the third Sunday of June.
Many men didn't like the creation of Father's Day though. They laughed at the holiday's sentimental attempts to celebrate Father's Day with flowers and gift-giving, and they laughed at the creation of such holidays as a commercial trick to sell more products - often paid for by the father himself.
During the 1920s and 1930s, in the US there was a movement to promote the combination of Mother's Day with Father's Day to be a new holiday, Parents'Day. Every year on Mother's Day, Parents'Day supporters would gather in New York City's Central Park to remind the public that both parents should be loved and respected.
However, this attempt failed due to the Great Depression. Struggling retailers(零售商)and advertisers made more efforts to make Father's Day a" second Christmas" for men, promoting goods such as neckties, hats, socks, pipes and tobacco, golf clubs and other sporting goods, and greeting cards.
When World War II started, advertisers began to argue that celebrating Father's Day was a way to honor American troops and support the war. By the end of the war, Father's Day may not have been a federal holiday, but it was a national event. In 1972, in the middle of a hard-fought presidential re-election campaign, Richard Nixon signed an announcement making Father's Day a federal holiday at last. Today, economists estimate that Americans spend more than SI billion each year on Father's Day gifts.
Have you heard of Chinese Valentine's Day? It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Therefore, the day is also called the Double Seventh Festival or the Qixi Festival1.
There is a very interesting legend behind the festival. The story goes that there was once a good-hearted cowherd named Niulang. His parents died when he was little, so he tried to make a life with only an old ox to keep him company.
One day, the ox suddenly began to speak. He told Niulang. "You are a nice person. If you want to get maried, go to the pond and your wish will come true. "When the man went to the pond, he saw seven goddesses who had come down from Heaven. The youngest was the most beautiful one, whose name was Zhinv. They fell in love with each other and soon they got married. Niulang and Zhinv lived happily for many years and they had two children, a boy and a girl.
When the old ox was about to die, he told Niulang that his hide( 兽皮) could help a man fly up to Heaven, and it should be kept properly for urgent situations after he died. Meanwhile, Emperor in Heaven began to miss Zhinv. One day, he sent the Queen Mother in Heaven to fetch her.
When Niulang came back home from work that day, he saw his children crying. All they could tell him was that an old woman had come to take their mother away. He realized what had happened and immediately took the hide of the old ox and flew off with his children to look for his wife. The Queen Mother in Heaven became angry when she saw Niulang and his children. She slashed across the sky with her hairpin and a wide river was created between them to keep the lovers separated forever.
Since then, Zhinv would weep bitterly. Moved by their love, magpies(喜鹊)would fly here and form a bridge over the river for them to meet. The Emperor and the Queen Mother were also moved by their love, and allowed them to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month。
The Lantem Festival, also known in China as the Yuanxiao Festival or the Shangyuan Festival, falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It marks the end of the Spring Festival celebration and is also the first major festival after Chinese New Year. The first lunar month is called the" yuan month", and in ancient times, people called the night "xiao" the 15th day is the first night to see a full moon in that lunar year. That is how the day earned its name as the Yuanxiao Festival.
The practice of appreciating lanterns during this festival actually originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty under Emperor Ming, s reign. He officially announced that all palaces and temples should light lanterns, and people right across the country should hang lanterns, creating the tradition of lantern displays.
Guessing lantern riddles is an incredibly popular activity during the festival. The riddles often contain messages of good fortune, family reunion, abundant harvests, prosperity and love. Today people in cities across China organize delightful riddle competitions to celebrate the Lantern Festival. Because they are so inspiring and fascinating, riddles are popular with people of all ages and all walks of life.
There are many other celebrations such as dragon and lion dances, parades and fireworks. Eating yuanxiao (rice glue ball) is also an important custom of the festival. The round shape of the balls symbolises wholeness and unity within the family.
Halloween falls on the 31st of October every year. If you want to celebrate, you have a lot of options You can throw a party with friends and family, decorate for the season, or participate in events around your town. .
Throw a party. You can host a costume party where everyone needs to wear their costumes. Part of the fun of Halloween is dressing up. If you want, you can even have a contest where guests can compete for different titles like" Scariest Costume"," Funniest Costume", and so on. .If guests don't want to wear a costume, don't push them. It may be their religion or they simply don't want to. If you push them too hard, they may feel offended.
Bob for apples. Bobbing for apples is a classic Halloween tradition that many people love. Simply place some apples in a bucket of water and have guests try to lift them out only with their mouths.
Watch scary movies. You can have a movie screening at your party. Show your favorite scary movies that are perfect for the season to get you in the Halloween spirit.
There are a wide variety of treats you can provide for the event. You can provide classic candy that's often handed out to kids saying" Trick or Treat", like small candy bars.
A. You can also try making your own Halloween-themed baked food.
B. Make Halloween candies.
C. This can be fun if you want a more light-hearted holiday party instead of something scary.
D. Provide Halloween treats.
E. With some preparation and planning, you and your loved ones can enjoy a fun and cheerful Halloween.
F. Remember, not everyone likes dressing up.
G. You need to make sure everyone dresses up.
China is a country well known for courtesy(举止有礼) In traditional Chinese people's daily life, etiquette (礼节), can be seen everywhere like sitting and standing positions, the way of speaking to others, the polite behaviours when 1people, as well as table manners.
Eating is an important aspect of Chinese culture And eating out is one of the most common ways to honour guests, socialise, and deepen friendships. So it's 2to learn proper etiquette in formal dining, 3how to arrange seats, how to order dishes, and how to eat.
Seating arrangement is a very important part of Chinese dining etiquette, no matter at home or restaurant. 4, the seat of honour is usually the one facing the entrance and will be 5for the guest with highest status or the master of the banquet. Those of higher position sit closer to the seat of honour. The guests of lowest position sit furthest from the seat of the honour and it's normally where waiters 6the dishes. Attending a banquet with many tables, you should7that the most important table serving for guests of honour will be in the front or in the middle of the restaurant hall. It is better to 8after the elders have taken their seats.
Ordering dishes is another important part of Chinese table manners. If time 9, the menu will be passed round among the people10. If you are the host, make the final decision after asking for the others' 11. If you are one of the guests, you may order a(n)12and commonly-favourite dish. Chinese table manners encourage that we must not waste food and should consider the others' dietary restrictions. For example, vegetarians don't eat any kinds of meat.
Last but not least, you need to know how to eat at the table. 13you will be considered rude. Chinese are 14about food, as well as what they look like when eating food. After being seated, the waiter will give you a towel to 15the hands. When there are dishes about lobster, crab or fruit, a bowl of water may be served with some rose petals or lemon slices, which are not drinks 16 to wash your hands. At a formal Chinese banquet, the cold dishes will be served first, then the hot dishes, and dim sum and fruits at last. Here are some important 17 for the table manners in China.
Be graceful and polite when taking food with chopsticks
Don't make much noise when eating or drinking soup
Don't talk with mouth 18.
Don't point at someone with chopsticks or play with chopsticks.
Don't 19the teeth with a toothpick in public.
Don't insert chopsticks in the bowl with rice, 20it indicates ancestor worship.
On Halloween, I brought my wife home from the hospital to live out her remaining days. Remembering that the children would come for Trick or Treat, and (realize)I was not prepared with any candy, I quickly (gather)whatever I could find in the house.
The first (arrive) were three girls about 15 years old. I apologized for my poor treats and told them I was not able to get any treat of my wife's illness.
They thanked me and . About a minute , they returned, and each one gave me a (hand)of candies from their bags.
In tears, I tried to give back to the girls but these wonderful young ladies rushed off, leaving me with: "We hope she gets well.
I didn't know these beautiful young girls, but I'd like them to know that their simple act of (kind) brought joy and hope to me when there was none.
Even though my wife has since passed away, the memories of a sad time will (bright) as soon as I thought of the goodness of these three angels.
